…Local Government Minister
By Edward Marah
The Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs Ambassador Shar Lamina has called on paramount chiefs in the country to continue to play their primary responsibility of serving as a symbol of unity.
He made the call on Friday 1st March 2023 in Bumbuna Town, Dansogoia Chiefdom Thonkolili District while presenting Paramount Chief ABY Koroma to his people after being cleared and pardoned by President Julius Mada Bio from a commission of Inquiring about misconduct.
The Minister said the day is important in the life of the ministry as they reinstate the Paramount Chief ABY Koroma adding that President Bio held chieftaincy to the highest esteem and that the President believes that people do make misstates in life but that when such mistakes are made one should be man enough to accept his mistakes noting that PC Koroma is an honest Paramount Chief who admitted his wrong and apologise immediately he realised that he had made mistakes as he did not waste the commission’s time by defending his wrong that why President forgave and pardoned him.
Ambassador Lamina informed the people that paramount chieftaincy is an important institution as stated in the 1991 Constitution that should respected.
He thanked the people of Dansogia chiefdom for keeping the peace, especially in a chiefdom that hosts one of the country’s bread basket in the absence of their paramount chief pointing out that what they have seen with the turnout of the people to receive their PC Koroma clearly has shown that their PC is loved by his people the more reason HE has pardoned him.
He said paramount chiefs should respect their subject so that their subjects should respect them.
The minister appeals to the paramount chief to forgive all those who have offended him in the interest of peace, unity and development.
Minister Lamina, informed his audience that it is the sole responsibility of the paramount chief to appoint his speaker and not the ministry adding that the speaker works with the PC’s instructions and does not challenge the paramount chief adding that the government will not hesitate to deal with anybody who undermines the paramount chief authority stressing that “Even God is against those who disrespect authority”.
The minister warned regent chiefs across the country to understand that their position is not a permanent job but a temporal one pointing out that only the Paramount chiefs have a permanent job.
He appealed to the Council of paramount chiefs in Thonkolili district to learn to resolve their differences and community conflicts adding as a council their responsibility is to protect and maintain chieftaincy as an institution.
Paramount Chief ABY Koroma in his vote of thanks sang a song of praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God while describing the day as a day of joy and thanksgiving.
He thanked President Bio for his fatherly love and respect for chieftaincy and for pardoning him for which he will forever remain grateful.
He thanked the minister for his leadership in getting the matter to a logical conclusion.
He thanked PC Alie Balamsana Marah, PC Sheku Marah, PC Musa Bendugu, Rtd. Brigadier Kellie Conteh, Umaro Koroma, and the leadership of Ferensola for standing by him throughout the process.
He said as a Christian, he has forgiven all and has put the issues behind his back and called for unity for the development of the chiefdom.
He promises to work with all his colleagues in the district to push the district forward.
He thanked his people for the warm reception accorded him which demonstrates his love for them and the chiefdom.
The Leader of Ferensola Dr Shekuo Sesay expressed his organization’s thanks and appreciation to HE Bio for the gesture of pardoning their paramount chief adding that Ferensola is grateful and owed a lot to him.
He thanked the minister of local government for his role in resolving the matters as the paramount chief is the hope of every chiefdom.
He advised PC Koroma to forgive those who offended him just as he had been forgiven by the President for peace and development to prevail in the chiefdom.